Fists land thief in jail

HE gave up amateur boxing as a 13-year-old, but Jeremy William Dodds definitely did not forget how to use his fists.

The serial crim, 21, who was once caught for stealing a roast lamb from an RSL, continually assaulted police officers every time he got into trouble with the law last year.

On January 30, last year, Dodds was caught on CCTV footage stealing from the Beerwah Hotel bottle shop.

Police tracked his registration plates to his home where he refused to go with officers to the police station.

One constable tried to arrest Dodds, who replied by punching the officer in the face. The constable grabbed Dodds’ right arm and he responded with two left jabs.

Dodds tried to gouge the constable’s eyes as he was grabbed in a headlock and handcuffed. He head-butted the constable and spat saliva and blood at the officer’s face and mouth.

In April last year, Dodds attacked police again after they tried to remove him from a train at Nambour railway station where he was drunk.

As the officers tried to put Dodds into the police vehicle he head-butted one of the constables to the face. At the police station Dodds attacked the officers again after he somehow removed his left hand from the handcuffs.

In the same month, Dodds and a friend smashed the front glass door of a pharmacy at Burnside and stole more than $5000 worth of cold and flu tablets.

Dodds pleaded guilty yesterday in Maroochydore District Court to 13 charges, including five counts of serious assault of a police officer.

Defence barrister Steve Courtney said Dodds would often get drunk and wake up the next morning in the watchhouse with no recollection of what he had done or how much he had had to drink.

“His drinking really began when he was 18, when he stopped his boxing seriously.

“He reckons ... he’s going to rejoin the gym, dedicate himself to boxing. That’s what his focus is.”

Judge John Robertson said he was not surprised to hear Dodds had a boxing background.